The Department of Agriculture is working to ensure ‘food is safe’ following salmonella outbreak at eight poultry farms.

The Department of Agriculture is working to “ensure there is no public health risk” and identify the source of the salmonella outbreak that has been detected at eight poultry farms across Ireland in recent days.

Agriculture Secretary Charlie McConalogue advised the public to continue to “follow the usual advice that applies in relation to the proper cooking of poultry products” while the inquiry continues “to ensure food is safe”.

“We have taken very strict measures. My department and the veterinary team and indeed all food companies have very strong safeguards in place and that’s actually how we identified this particular problem.

“By working with affected herds… we have stepped up management actions to ensure the food is safe,” he told reporters at the National Dialogue on Women in Farming this morning.

“We are constantly carrying out further evaluations. The veterinary team is looking for the source of the problem and taking every precaution to ensure there is no public health risk and that the food is safe.

“But it’s always important to remember the standard advice for cooking poultry.”

Any flocks that have been confirmed positive for Salmonella have been restricted and are under the ministry’s control, with affected birds said to be humanely killed and disposed of, the ministry said.

It is not yet clear how many birds have been affected by the outbreak or how the contamination could affect supermarket food supply chains.

The Irish Farmers’ Union (IFA) has urged flock owners to “stay vigilant”.

Poultry Division Chairman Nigel Sweetnam said: “The cases of Salmonella on a small number of farms are devastating for the affected flock owners.

“The herds affected are restricted and there is no risk to human health

“The authorities, including the Department of Agriculture and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, are working to deal with the situation as quickly and effectively as possible.”

An FSAI spokesman said it is contacting the Department of Agriculture on its investigation and to date there have been no human cases related to that investigation.

“This farm incident occurred following the Western Brand food recall that was conducted last week,” the spokesman added.

Last week, Western Brand, a chicken producer based in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, recalled expired batches of raw chicken products due to detection of Salmonella Typhimurium

In a statement on the recall, the FSAI said: “These products were sold as fresh and past their use-by date. However, the labels state that they are suitable for freezing at home. Recall notifications are displayed at the point of sale.”

People infected with Salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but it can take anywhere from six to 72 hours. The most common symptom is diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, and abdominal cramps.